Toolpost

ABSTRACT

A TOOLPOST ADAPTED TO BE AFFIXED TO A LATHE OR SIMILAR MACHINE, AND EMBODYING A UNITARY CLAMPING MECHANISM THEREIN FOR QUICKLY ATTACHING AND DETACHING A TOOLHOLDER RELATIVE THERETO, AT A PREDETERMINED LEVEL, THROUGH THE INTERMEDIARY OF A VERTICALLY DISPOSED DOVETAIL-SHAPED TENON ON THE TOOLHOLDER INTERFITTING SELECTIVELY WITH A COMPLEMENTARY DOVETAIL-SHAPED MORTISE PROVIDED ON EACH ONE OF TWO FACES OF THE TOOLPOST ARRANGED AT RIGHT ANGLES TO EACH OTHER. THE UNITARY CLAMPING MECHANISM INCLUDES A HORIZONTALLY MOVABLE MEMBER PROVIDED ON ITS OUTER PORTION WITH CLAMPING COMPONENTS FORMING INTERMEDIATE PARTS OF EACH OF THE MORTISES ON THE TOOLPOST, WHICH UPON ACTUATION OF THE CYLINDRICAL INNER PORTION OF SAID MEMBER ALONG AN AXIS BISECTING THE RIGHT ANGLE OF THE TOOLPOST CONTAINING THE MORTISES, EFFECTS A LOCKING OF THE TOOLHOLDER TO THE SELECTED FACE OF THE TOOLPOST BY A RAPID AND SIMPLE TOAND FOR MOVEMENT OF A HANDLE WHICH CONTROLS THE CLAMPING AND RELEASING EFFECTS ON THE TOOLHOLDER.

I March 23, 1971 E. F. GOURLEY 3,572,196

-15 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 20, 1968 INVENTOR fuse-M6 fl' 60am 6) ATTORNEY E. F. GOURLEY TOOLPOS-T March 23, 1971 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 20, 1968 INVENTOR ATTORNEY March 23; 1971 E. F. GOURLEY TOOLPOST 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Nov. 20, 1968 z; INVENTOR ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,572,196 TOOLPOST Eugene F. Gourley, Meadville, Pa., assignor to McCrosky Tool Corporation, Meadville, Pa. Filed Nov. 20, 1968, Ser. No. 777,416 Int. Cl. B23b 29/24 US. Cl. 82-36 7 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A toolpost adapted to be affixed to a lathe or similar machine, and embodying a unitary clamping mechanism therein for quickly attaching and detaching a toolholder relative thereto, at a predetermined level, through the intermediary of a vertically disposed dovetail-shaped tenon on the toolholder interfitting selectively with a complementary dovetail-shaped mortise provided on each one of two faces of the toolpost arranged at right angles to each other. The unitary clamping mechanism includes a horizontally movable member provided on its outer portion with clamping components forming intermediate parts of each of the mortises on the toolpost, which upon actuation of the cylindrical inner portion of said member along an axis bisecting the right angle of the toolpost containing the mortises, effects a locking of the toolholder to the selected face of the toolpost by a rapid and simple toand-fro movement of a handle which controls the clamping and releasing effects on the toolholder.

The instant invention relates to toolposts for interchangeably accommodating toolholders supporting cutting tools of different types adapted to operate successively on workpieces, and presents a simplification of the assembly disclosed in my earlier application Ser. No. 746,529 filed July 22, 1968, as well as those in the patents of the prior art relating to such devices, as exemplified by Pat. Nos. 3,024,686, Mar. 13, 1962 and 3,280,673, Oct. 25, 1966.

It is the object of the present invention to provide a rugged and reliable quick-change toolpost assembly possessing the capability of interchangeably mounting a plurality of toolholders on either one of a pair of faces of the toolpost arranged perpendicularly to each other, while assuring a uniform setting of the tools relative to the workpiece in the course of the several interchanges of the tools on the post.

It is another object of the invention to provide a toolpost which has a clamping mechanism for interchangeable toolholders which may be combined therewith, which is operable with safety and rapidity, and which is composed of relatively few parts of simple construction capable of rendering service over a long period of time without undue wear.

It is another object of the invention to provide a toolpost block with two toolholder stations adjacent to each other, with a unitary clamping device embodied therein, which is effective to exert a clamping action on the toolholder which may be mounted selectively on one face of the toolpost relative to another face disposed at right angles to said first-mentioned face, and which may be quickly clamped thereto by a simple movement of a handle by the operator, and which may be released from the toolpost by a like movement in the reverse direction. The extent of the manual movement by the operator may be limited by a spring detent device in the toolpost cooperating with the handle, which assures both safety and efficiency in the execution of the mounting and demount ing movements of the toolholder onto the toolpost.

Other objects and purposes will appear from the detailed description of the invention following hereinafter,

3,572,196 Patented Mar. 23, 1971 taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional view, with certain parts in elevation, of a preferred embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a horizontal sectional view along line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a horizontal sectional view along line 33 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional view along line 44 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a vertical view approximately on line 5-5 of FIG. 2, partly in section and partly in elevation;

FIG. 6 is a vertical sectional view along line 66 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 7 is an enlarged view of the components of the Belleville spring assembly shown in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4.

In the drawings is shown a toolpost block P which is adapted to be rigidly mounted on a lathe L or analogous machine by aflixing the base 1 of the block onto the latter through a center bolt 2 extending upwardly through the bored center of the toolpost with the lower head end 3 of the center bolt engaging the T-slot of the lathe and the upper threaded end of the bolt receiving a washer 5 and threaded nut 6 to clamp the toolpost onto the lathe through the intermediary of the pilot bushing 7 which presses against an annular shoulder 8 in the block surrounding the center bolt, to secure the bottom 1 of the toolpost to the lathe bed, as is well known in the prior art. The bushing 7 is retained in the body of the toolpost with a lightly pressed fit and serves to assume the thrust of the clamping pressure of the nut 6 and washer 5 when the unit is secured to the compound of a lathe.

The upper end of the toolpost is provided with a central cylindrical cavity 9, the internal laternal face of which is threaded with coarse threads 10 for engaging the complementally externally threaded sleeve S from which protrudes laterally the handle M. The movement of handle M for a limited extent, controls the clamping and releasing positions of the mechanism in accordance with the invention.

The cylindrical center of sleeve S is of slightly greater diameter than the external diameter of the pilot bushing 7, to permit rotation of the sleeve without binding. The rotary movement of the handle M, for a limited throw, results in a translating movement of the sleeve S to lift the bottom end 11 thereof from the bottom of the cavity 9 to a raised position, to effect a release of the clamping mechanism, as fully explained below.

As clearly shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the toolpost P in accordance with the invention is preferably square in horizontal cross-section with four faces, A, B, C and D. The two adjacent faces A and B are provided with dovetailedshaped mortises 21, 21', respectively, which are recessed in the respective faces. The mortise 21 is bounded at one vertical edge thereof by a continuous planar face 22 extending at an acute angle from the face A towards the planar surface 21 of the mortise, and the opposite vertical edge of the mortise is delineated by planar -face portions 23 adjacent to the top and bottom of the toolpost which extends at a like acute angle from the outer face portions 25 of the toolpost adjacent to the corner 50 which forms a right angle with the outer face portions 25' on the adjacent face B of the toolpost. The latter is provided with recessed surface 21' of the mortise as well as the continuous planar dovetail-shaped surface 22' at one edge of the mortise and surface portions 23 at the opposite edge adjacent to corner 50 of the block.

The clamping member in accordance with the invention is constituted by an inner cylindrical portion 28 which is movable along an axis which bisects the right angle formed between the faces A and B of the toolpost, and

an outer portion 24 disposed between the upper portions of the mortise components adjacent to the top and bottom of the toolpost, with lateral extremities comprising planar surfaces coincident with the inclined planar surfaces 23 of the mortise on face A and 23 of the mortise on face B. The single clamping member is effective in clamping onto the toolpost P, a toolholder which may be engaged selectively with either one or the other of the mortises 21 and 21 on faces A and B, respectively.

As clearly shown in FIG. 1, the toolholder H is of conventional design and is provided with a lateral slot 16 for the purpose of receiving a tool T which is clamped to the toolholder by means of a series of clamping bolts 17 extending through the body of the upper portion of the toolholder. The tool T may be a cutting bit, boring tool, knurling tool, cut-off tool, etc. Furthermore, the toolholder is provided with a screw bolt 18 which is adjustably engaged in the threaded bore 19 in the body of the toolholder, and the head 20 of which overlies the mortise 21 which is preferably machined with an arcuate seat 60 for seating securely the bottom of the bolt head 20, thereby to control the vertical position of the toolholder relative to the toolpost. As is well known in the art, the toolpost and toolholder are provided with complementary dovetail-shaped fittings 21 and 13, respectively, so that the toolholder may be dropped onto the toolpost to the extent permitted by the head of the height-adjusting screw 18 dropping onto the seat 60, and thereafter the toolholder is clamped laterally to the face of the toolpost to secure tightly the toolholder and the tool retained therein to the toolpost so that the machining operation performed by the tool may be executed with accuracy, reliability and with minimum vibration. Each toolholder H is provided with a height adjusting screw which may be pre-set to position the cutting tool at the proper height corresponding to the machine-center height. This setting may be locked on each toolholder by means of a laterally extending lock screw 61.

The invention herein is concerned with the provision of a locking or clamping assembly for the selected toolholder which is rugged and reliable, and which is effective for long periods of time with minimal wear of the parts.

As stated above, the clamping member which is movable along an axis coincident with the diagonal axis of the toolpost, is formed of a cylindrical inner portion 28 and an enlarged outer portion 24 which forms part of the mortise surfaces on both faces A and B of the toolpost.

The enlarged portion 24 is provided with two vertical surfaces 26 and 26' disposed at right angles to each other,

as well as upper and bottom plane surfaces 51 and 52, I

respectively, which are adapted to fit between a rectangular slot milled within the corner of the toolpost between the upper and lower portions of the latter, for the accommodation of the clamping member which resembles a specially-headed rivet having a shank 28 and an enlraged head 24. The portion 28 is capable of rectlinear movement of small extent within a cylindrical bore 29 in the toolpost, and in order to eliminate any possibility of binding, an annular groove 55 is provided at the junction of the cylindrical portion 28 and the enlarged outer portion 24. Inclined faces 27 and 27 are formed at the lateral extremities of the enlarged outer portion of the clamping member and are of an angularity conforming to the surface portions 23 and 23' of the mortises 21 and 21', respectively. However, the surfaces 27 and 27' are movable horizontally, as indicated by the small clearance shown in the drawings, from the planes of the surfaces 23 and 23' and beyond, to a position inwardly of the plane surfaces 23 and 23 at which time they exert a clamping action on the lateral inclined planar surface 15 of the tenon of the toolholder, which may be interfitted with the mortise on the toolpost by vertically guiding the tenon into the mortise. This clamping action at an intermediate portion of one edge of the tenon on the toolholder, in conjunction with the close fit between the toolholder tenon and the mortise formed on the face of the toolpost, including the surfaces on the outer face of the toolpost, both remote from and adjacent to the corner 50, results in a tight fixation of the toolholder onto the toolpost. This clamping is effected rapidly by the short translating movement of the clamping member in a horizontal direction, and which, upon reverse movement serves to release the toolholder for lifting up from the toolpost.

While the lateral extremity 27 of the clamping member is effective to clamp the toolholder to the toolpost against face A, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the opposite surface 27' is effective in clamping the toolholder to the toolpost against face B, when a toolholder is applied to the latter, in which case the surface 27 serves no operative function.

Normally, the movable clamping member is in released condition by virtue of the cylindrical inner portion or piston 28 which is seated within cylindrical bore 29 being pressed outwardly by a pair of dished annular spring washers 30. The latter exert a strong resilient force on the inner end of the piston 28 which tends to press the end thereof from the base of the cylindrical chamber 29. These Belleville springs are rugged and compact and because of their limited movement are well adapted to reliably press the clamping member outwardly so that the parts assume a released position in readiness for a compression by an inward movement of the cylindrical portion 28, as described below.

A V-shaped recess, formed by inclined faces 31 and 32, is cut in the upper portion of the lateral wall of the cylindrical piston or portion 28 below a cylindrical passage in the toolpost thereabove (FIG. 1), in which passage is closely fitted a cylindrical plunger 37 having a plane surface at its upper end and a tapering V-shaped surface at its lower end, so that the rearwardly disposed inclined plane surface 38 is located above the inclined plane surface 32 forming part of the V-shaped recess in the cylindrical portion 28.

Normally, the Belleville springs 30 force the cylindrical piston outwardly which cams the plunger 37 upwardly if there is sufficient space in the cavity 9 in the interior of the toolpost below the handle sleeve S to accommodate the upper projecting end of plunger 37. This is the case when the manually operated sleeve S is in raised position by the rotation of the handle M in a counterclockwise direction. In this position, the outer face of the clamping member 24 is substantially coincident with the planes of the outer faces A and B and the mortises 21, 21, respectively, which permits the dropping of the toolholder H through the interengagement of the tenon 13 with either mortise 21 or 21', or a raising of the toolholder therefrom when a disengagement of the toolholder from the toolpost is being effected.

In the drawings, the toolholder is shown in interengagement with mortise 21 on face A.

The rotation of the handle M and the rotary sleeve S connected therewith in the reverse direction, effects a downward movement of the bottom 11 of the sleeve and forces the plunger 37 downwardly to bring the inclined camming face 38 at the lower end thereof against the rearwardly inclined face 32 to force the piston 28 rearwardly against the action of the Belleville springs. This movement forces the edge 27 of the outer portion 24 of the clamping member, disposed between the surface portions 23 above and below the outer portion 24, which define the lateral edge of the mortise on the face A of the toolpost adjacent to the corner 50, against the midportion of the lateral face 15 of the tenon 13 on the toolholder.

In order to limit the throw of the handle M from a position convenient to the operator and to one which would not hinder the safe and rapid mounting and detachment of a toolholder relative to the toolpost, a special detent device is provided in the toolpost at the base of the cylindrical cavity 9 below the bottom 11 of the sleeve S. A top view of this detent is shown in FIG. 2, which permits the throw of the handle M from a comfortable position, at approximately the intersection of faces D and C of the toolpost, to a position approximately 80-" therefrom in a counterclockwise direction which would maintain the handle clear of the left side of the toolpost Whereat the toolholder is dropped onto or removed from it. The detent 40 may be cylindrical and is housed in a corresponding recess 41 in the toolpost; it is forced upwardly by a coiled spring 42 above the base of the cavity 9 in the toolpost. The upper end of the detent is formed with a steeply inclined face 44 on one side, and a slightly inclined face 43 on the opposite side, and is topped by a horizontal face 45 at the top thereof. The base 11 of the rotary sleeve S is notched at '46 with corresponding surfaces 43, 44', 45' to seat the detent when the sleeve S is rotated into position When the recess overlies the detent. When this occurs, the steeply inclined faces prevent further movement of the handle in a counterclockwise direction. In the course of such a movement, the lower end 11 of the sleeve is raised sufficiently to have released the vertical plunger 37 from pressing action against the camming surfaces 32 of the piston 28. The reverse movement of the handle M and the rotary sleeve S is permitted by the juxtaposed surfaces of lesser inclination 43 and 43, which serves to permit a return of the handle from its rearward position to its forward position with the consequent downward travel of sleeve S and downward movement of the vertical plunger 27, the lower end of which acts to exert a camming force on the piston 28 to force the same inwardly against the spring assembly 30 and to effect a movement of the outer portion of the clamping member with one lateral extremity thereof moving against the tenon of the toolholder, which may be mounted on either face A or B of the toolpost.

In order to enable the complete dismantling of the toolpost assembly and the removal of the sleeve S from the toolpost, the spring-loaded detent 40 may be inactivated by locking the detent in its lowered position when the bottom edge 11 of the sleeve S forces it down together with the plunger 37. A lock screw 48 extending from the face D of the toolpost to a flattened portion 47 on the lateral wall of the detent makes possible the locking of the latter in its lowered position, which permits turning of the handle sleeve S freely beyond its usual limit-stop position to effect a complete disengagement of the sleeve from the body of the toolpost.

The assembly may be furnished with additional refinements such as dust cap 55' and protective skirt against the entry of metallic chips and other foreign matter. These may be threaded or pressed onto the sleeve S in known manner.

While the outer portion of the clamping member has been shown of a form having a rectangular outline, this portion may assume varying forms, such as surfaces of revolution, as well as dimensions. The use of a clamping member which is confined between upper and lower plane surfaces eliminates the need for any additional guide pins for assuring the vertical alignment of the clamping surfaces. Furthermore, the machining operations on the toolpost are simplified.

While I have described my invention as embodied in a specific form and as operating in a specific manner for purposes of illustration, it should be understood that I do not limit my invention thereto, since various modifications will suggest themselves to those skilled in the art, without departing from the spirit of my invention, the scope of which is set forth in the annexed claims.

I claim:

1. A toolpost for the selective interchangeable mounting of a toolholder on either one of two faces thereon arranged perpendicularly to each other, comprising (a) a dovetail-shaped mortise extending vertically and recessed upon each of the two adjacent faces of said toolpost disposed perpendicularly to each other,

(h) each mortise selectively adapted to engage a toolholder, provided with a vertically disposed dovetailshaped tenon, in close interfitting engagement with the selected mortise and the fixed opposite portions of the face on said toolpost wherefrom said last-mentioned mortise is recessed,

(c) a common integral clamping member forming part of both mortises, movable rectilinearly along an axis which bisects the right angle between said normally displaced faces of the toolpost,

(d) said clamping member comprising an outer portion having lateral vertical extremities on opposite sides thereof, each forming an intermediate part of the side of each mortise adjacent to said right angle of the toolpost, and a cylindrical inner portion extending horizontally into the interior of said toolpost along said axis,

(e) said toolpost having a horizontal cylindrical chamber therein for receiving the cylindrical inner portion of said clamping member,

(f) manually operated means for moving said clamping member inwardly to effect the clamping of the toolholder to the toolpost comprising a camming surface forming part of a recess disposed in the lateral wall of said cylindrical portion, a vertical plunger movably mounted in said toolpost and having a sloping end at the bottom thereof adapted to engage said camming surface, and a rotatable sleeve having the internal end thereof in contact with the upper end of said vertical plunger, and

(g) a spring-pressed detent mounted in said toolpost radially displaced from said vertical plunger and movable along an axis parallel thereto, the upper end of said detent having a pair of camming faces of different inclination to the vertical, said internal end of said sleeve having a recess with correspondingly shaped faces as said detent to receive the upper end thereof upon completion of a predetermined angular travel of the sleeve in a counterclockwise direction for releasing said clamping member, and to arrest further travel thereof in said direction by the juxtaposed faces of steep inclination in the detent and recess, and the faces of moderate inclination permitting a camming movement of the detent into the toolpost in response to a rotary movement of the sleeve in the reverse direction to effectuate said clamping member.

2. A toolpost for the selective interchangeable mounting of a toolholder on either one of two faces thereon ar- 50 ranged perpendicularly to each other, comprising (a) a dovetail-shaped mortise extending vertically and recessed upon each of the two adjacent faces of said toolpost disposed perpendicularly to each other,

(b) each mortise selectively adapted to engage a toolholder, provided with a vertically disposed dovetailshaped tenon, in close interfitting engagement with the selected mortise and the fixed opposite portions of the face on said toolpost wherefrom said lastmentioned mortise is recessed,

(c) a common integral clamping member forming part of both mortises, movable rectilinearly along an axis which bisects the right angle between said normally displaced faces of the toolpost,

(d) said clamping member comprising an outer portion having lateral vertical extremities on opposite sides thereof, each forming an intermediate part of the side of each mortise adjacent to said right angle of the toolpost, and an integral cylindrical inner portion extending horizontally into the interior of said toolpost along said axis,

'(e) means for imparting rectilinear movement to said clamping member in said horizontal direction, comprising spring means at the end of said cylindrical inner portion for forcing said member outwardly,

ff) a freely moving plunger disposed transversely of said last-mentioned cylindrical inner portion of said clamping member for moving the latter inwardly,

(g) a eamming surface recessed in the lateral wall of said cylindrical inner portion adjacent to one end of said plunger of reduced cross-section for camming actuation in an inward direction by said last-mentioned end of said movable plunger,

(h) a manually operated sleeve member cooperating with the opposite end of said plunger for moving said plunger against said camming surface in opposition to the force of said spring means, and

(i) said plunger adapted to move freely upon retraction of said sleeve member from said opposite end of said plunger, in response to the force of said spring means acting on the end of said inner cylindrical inner portion of said clamping member and reduced end of said plunger through the intermediary of said camming surface.

3. An apparatus as set forth in claim 2, wherein the lateral wall of said cylindrical inner portion is recessed with a groove of V-shaped section, the rear arm of which constitutes said camming surface, and said plunger is of cylindrical section with the reduced end thereof terminating in a converging end of corresponding V-shaped section.

4. An apparatus as set forth in claim 2, wherein said outer portion of said clamping member is of greater crosssection than said inner portion, and said cylindrical inner portion is provided with an annular groove at the junction thereof with said outer portion.

5. An apparatus as set forth in claim 2, including (a) an arcuate seat in the top surface of said toolpost at said dovetail-shaped mortise therein, and (b) an adjustable set-screw fitting within a threaded bore in the top of said toolholder and provided with an enlarged head adapted to have a segment thereof in overlying relation to said arcuate seat for positioning therein, thereby to effect an adjustable elevation of said toolholder relative to said toolpost preparatory to the clamping of the former to the latter. 6. An apparatus as set forth in claim 5, including a locking bolt extending through said toolholder transversely to the axis of said set-screw for locking said set-screw in adjusted position.

7. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1, including a locking bolt extending from the exterior of said toolpost to the lateral surface of said detent adapted to lock said detent within said toolpost to permit continued movement of said sleeve in said counterclockwise direction incidental to the complete withdrawal of the sleeve from the toolpost.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,878,705 3/1959 Hirvonen 82-36 3,024,686 3/1962 Daugusta 8236 FOREIGN PATENTS 151,583 9/1955 Sweden 8236 LEONIDAS VLACHOS, Primary Examiner 

